5 Myths about Hawaii

Getting ready for your first Hawaii Vacation? Well, when you think of Hawaii, you probably remember some things other people told you about Hawaii and their Hawaii vacation. There are certain myths about places and people, which are mostly legendary stories but they are actually not true. Anyhow, Hawaii is a good one for myths. Here is what we, Keoki and Pua from Best Hawaii Vacations, came up with after having lived for many years in Hawaii:

Hawaii myth number 1:

Hawaii is white sand beaches and swaying palm trees

Remember 'Mutiny on the Bounty' with Marlon Brando and all the beautiful Hawaiian (or was it Tahitian girls), white sand beaches, fresh tropical fruits and hula all day long. To tell you the truth, that was my image of Hawaii. Can you imagine my shock when I landed at Kona International Airport in the middle of old lava fields? Later, when getting to know all the Hawaiian Islands better, I found out that the beaches and the palm trees are not everywhere (they are just a small part of the islands), that beaches are not always white (Big Island has probably a larger number of black sand beaches created from lava), that there is lots of upcountry ranchland on Maui or the Big Island, that there are rough areas where you have hardly any access to (see Napali Coast on Kauai). Well, be prepared, Hawaii is much more than white sand beaches and palm trees (actually a lot of those were planted with resort construction!).

Hawaii myth number 2:

Hawaii weather is always sunny and nice

OK we admit it. Hawaii is blessed with some of the nicest climates and weather around the world. But guess what, not each part of the Hawaiian Islands is pure sunshine all year round. A general rule of thumb is - east coasts are more wet and rainy and west coasts are more dry and sunny! And don't forget the elevation. It can be quite cold at upcountry areas. So bring your sweater and be prepared to close the roof of your convertible, which you rented under the misconception, that it will be warm and sunny everywhere. A sudden, unexpected downpour when touring Hawaii countryside is not that rare. Especially winter months can bring a rain storm in with flash floods, which can be pretty dangerous. Scary stuff !!!! Watch the weather news and switch your radio on when riding down the Hwy! By the way, in most cases, winter storms hit all the Hawaiian islands starting on Kauai and coming its way 'down' to the Big Island, which is sometimes lucky, as the storm might have lost its power by then.

Here we go with the most often asked question: "When is the best month to visit Hawaii for my best Hawaii vacation"? Believe me, it's not just the most asked but the hardest to answer. When potential guests at our Hawaii vacation rentals asked us, we mostly said something like: "It's nice all year around but we cannot make any prediction or guarantees for the best Hawaii weather at any time of the year." Read GoHawaii Travel Planner article on When to visit Hawaii

Hawaii myth number 3:

Flipflops are cheap and good for your feet

First thing I did when I arrived in Hawaii in summer 1991 was buying flipflops. Everybody was wearing flipflops, from Hawaiian dudes, to white tourists and residents. It seemed the best way to cope with the heat plus comfortable and casual. But that feeling did not last long. Soon I experienced leg pain and cramps in the foot which I first could not pinpoint where it came from. Did not take me long to find the cause. Getting some more expensive sandals, with arch support and straps to hold the sandel on the foot, immediately 'healed' my unexplained symptoms. Later on as a licensed massage therapist, I was able to 'heal' other Hawaii visitors from their new Hawaii pains. I call it the 'flipflop' syndrome. So rather spend some money on some more supporting sandals for walking at the resort. If the sand is not too hot, just walk bare foot on the beach in Hawaii.

Hawaii myth number 4:

Taking a lava rock from the islands brings bad luck

With so many years having run our Hawaii vacation rentals, it was not rare that vistors would come back from the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park with all kinds of lava rocks. They had never heard about the myth that taking alava rock from islands will haunt you and bring you bad luck because Pele, the Goddess of the Volcano got mad at you. It is a known fact that vacationers who took lava rocks home against better advice, were haunted by bad luck until they returned the rocks to Hawaii. That's why we would always share the myth or legend with our visitors, as we felt it's their own decision. Myth or superstition, who knows? What do you think?

Hawaii myth number 5:

What do you think is a Hawaii myth 5?????

1st Suggestion from Personal Development for Book Smart
Hawaii Myth 5 would be "There are only hot babes and hunks in Hawaii"

2nd Suggestion from Sheila from 'Go Visit Hawaii' Blog
Hawaii Myth 5 would be "Most people assume that all the beautiful beaches are completely safe. Some beaches have dangerous currents, but people just hop in the water without checking for any safety concerns. They ignore beach safety signs and then get in trouble. I like to encourage people to check the official beach safety website"

3rd Suggestion from Da Kine Hawaiian Aloha
Hawaii Myth 5 would be "You may or may not know this, but did you know that what we refer to as the 6 Hawaiian Islands comprise a total of 137 Hawaiian Islands"

4th Suggestion from Ideal Hawaii Vacation
Hawaii Myth 5 would be "Hawaii is Too Expensive for a Vacation."
"Over the years we have heard many people make the comment that Hawaii is too expensive. We have been going to Maui for the last 20+ years and so think we have the authority to dispel such a myth. Yes if you stay in an expensive resort you will probably pay $350 or more per night, so that is expensive. However if you stay in a vacation rental that you rent from an owner, you can find some very affordable Hawaii accommodations. If you choose to eat every meal in a restaurant, yes, Hawaii, just like my home town in Penticton British Columbia, is expensive. However if you rent from an owner and cook your own meals it is the same as anywhere else."

Find more about this myth in comments below. This is a great comment how you can save on you vacation in Hawaii and still have your best Hawaii vacation.

5th Suggestion from Hawaii VacationGifts
Hawaii Myths 5 would be "If you live in Hawaii you can wake up and pick papayas for breakfast and catch your own fish for dinner. (People actually told me this when I went to school in California in the early nineties!)"

5th Suggestion is from Blogatech (ever need any help for your blogger blog, go visit Stratman)Hawaii Myth 5 would be"I've always heard that in the islands marijuana plants grow to the size of palm trees and their seeds are the size of coconuts :)"
Well, what do people say when they get addressed with a question or statement, they don't want to deal with: "No comment!"

To all those who believed in the Hawaii myth of catching a fresh fish for dinner, don't rely on that. Even those charter boats which take you out for deep sea fishing in Hawaii, can come home without the big fish!

Make a suggestion for Hawaii myth number 5. What do you think is a good myth about Hawaii? Share it today and leave a comment. Sign in with 'Other' for your name + your URL. We will add all your suggestions right here.

We are very excited to hear from Hawaii residents and Hawaii visitors. Mahalo and aloha, Pua
Kohala Coast Vacation Guide

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